(It’s a really busy Saturday evening shift in my bar and I am ten-hours deep into a twelve-hour shift. A group of women arrive at the bar and my colleague begins to serve them. It’s her first shift so I keep half an eye on her, even though I am busy dealing with my own customers. I notice the women muttering amongst themselves and giving dirty looks to my colleague as she is ringing their order through the till. I finish up with my own customers and approach them.)
Me: “Hello! Can I help you at all?”
Customer #1: “I’ve been served THIS and I asked for a Desperados and a lime and soda. She’s put it all in the same glass.”
Me: “Oh, I’m really sorry about that madam; I’ll get new drinks for you right away.”
(I serve her the drinks and as my colleague realises her mistake we all laugh about it together. Everything seems rectified. Then, a second woman comes forward and slams down the Desperados I have dispensed into a plastic glass for her, as is our company’s policy after 10 pm.)
Customer #2: “What the f*** is this?”
Me: “It’s a Desperados.”
Customer #2: “Well, I want the bottle.”
Me: “Unfortunately it’s our policy that we don’t serve glass after 10 pm. We have to dispense all the bottles into—”
Customer #2: “Well, she could have f***ing told me!”
Me: “I understand. It’s my colleague’s first shift and I will ask her to remind customers of our policy in future. Can I get you another—”
Customer #2: “I never saw her pour it, so how do I even know it’s a Desperados?”
Me: “Well, you weren’t at the bar, so no, I expect you didn’t.”
Customer #2: “Listen, your mate—” *pointing in my face* “—served my friend the wrong drink and now this!”
(I’ve lost my rag now.)
Me: “Look, if you’re that bothered, I’ll pour you a new one.”
(I pour her a Desperados, making a huge show of showing her the label, and gesturing grandly as I set the drink down.)
Me: “Would you like a lime, madam?”
(These customers have obviously never been spoken to sarcastically by someone serving them, and their mouths drop. Customer #2 leans over the bar towards me.)
Customer #2: “How dare you not show me any respect! You need to learn some customer service skills!”
Me: “Respect is a two way street, and nice people get nice service. Have a lovely night.”
(They complained and wrote a s***ty review on Facebook; however, I’d already explained to the manager what a***-holes they were and he reviewed the CCTV which showed their intimidating and threatening body language towards me. We ‘liked’ the review, and commented, “Thank you for your review. We would like to remind you and all of our customers that our staff are human beings and deserve to be spoken to as such. Therefore, you are no longer welcome in our bar.”)
